Christian Education Department inspectors from the Archdiocese of Liverpool gave the school an ‘outstanding’ rating in 11 of the 15 categories they assess, and judged the school to be ‘good’ in the remaining four.

According to their report, the outstanding features include the outcomes in pupils’ attainment and achievement which are ‘testimony to their application to learning and exceptional results at the end of each Key Stage’.

The inspectors - who focused primarily on religious education - also say that the St. Mary’s curriculum is outstanding ‘in both content and through its contribution to pupils’ spiritual and moral development’.

Other features singled out for praise include the quality of teaching and assessment, the work of the Governors, the promotion of community cohesion and the ‘outstanding leadership and management of the development of the college’s Catholic life’.

The overall verdict is that St. Mary’s is ‘an outstanding Catholic college committed to its mission to develop the whole person’.

Commenting on the report Principal Mike Kennedy said: “Everyone here is delighted that the school has received such warm praise from the Archdiocese inspectors.

“Following hot on the heels of an equally positive report from the Independent Schools Inspectorate, it is further evidence of the success of our approach which focuses both on academic excellence and encouraging achievement in a wide range of other activities as well.”

Mr Kennedy also pointed out that while around two thirds of St. Mary’s pupils are Catholic, the remainder are from other Christian denominations, world faiths and religions, and their contribution to the college’s spiritual life is equally valued.

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